Raqurtep

Descended from the workers and refugees trapped within and beneath the Qarqol cities after the Great Pilgrimage, the Raqurtep dwell in the tunnels and halls beneath the ruins of the Qarqol, making use of the ancient machinery within. The Raqurtep exhibit a dramatic adaptation to their environment, bearing greatly elongated forelimbs to facilitate climbing the walls of the tunnels, as well as greatly enlarged eyes and auditory antennae. Raqurtep mouthparts are much stronger than the more delicate mouthparts of the Okhum and Andukar, with the lower pair of mouthparts enlarged into a pair of powerful, pincer-like mandibles, capable of cutting through bone with relative ease.

Raqurtep are extremely sensitive to light, with most Raqurtep reporting sharp headaches after exposure to light of even a moderate intensity. As a result, the Raqurtep possess excellent night vision, allowing them to navigate the darkened tunnels with ease. Though no longer strictly necessary, the Raqurtep continue to practice ritual cannibalism, eating any and all corpses not rotted or afflicted by disease. It is unknown why this practice persists despite adequate alternative sources of nutrition.

The Raqurtep speak Raqursaqum, a dialect of Qarqosaqum. Knowledge of Qarqosaqum is preserved religiously, as the Raqurtep rely heavily on ancient Qarqotep machinery for their livelihood, and each successive generation of the clergy must be capable of understanding the  instructions of the operation of the machines.